Volunteer Charlie “Sleepy” Howe prepares what he calls among the most important items at the shelter, decaf coffee.

SARATOGA SPRINGS >> There’s a lot that goes into activating a Code Blue program and running an emergency shelter, the least of which is making sure everything is up to code.

Glens Falls learned that the hard way, after its program was closed the second night because its building, the Open Door soup kitchen, did not have a sprinkler system.

Fortunately, the Glens Falls Code Blue was offered the use of another building, at 103 Warren St., that is up to code and has a sprinkler system installed. On Friday, the city approved the building and donated several smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to the program. Tonight, Glens Falls Code Blue will be up and running again.

The Saratoga Springs Code Blue program has had its own code hurdles to overcome, but Mayor Joanne Yepsen said she is determined to work out snags along the way to make sure the program stays operational.

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“In almost every building you’ll find something” that could be improved or isn’t up to code, Yepsen said, which becomes increasingly important when people are using it as an overnight sleeping space.

After the Glens Falls Code Blue was shuttered after its second night, it re-opened the third night, minus the cots, as a warming station, according to Kim Cook, president and acting director of the Open Door soup kitchen. She said that before the owners of the Warren Street building extended their offer, Glens Falls Mayor John Diamond offered to open City Hall to the program.

Like Saratoga Springs, the Glens Falls Code Blue is being operated by a handful of agencies, including the American Red Cross, the Open Door soup kitchen, the Salvation Army and United Way.

Cook said that in Glens Falls, there were a lot of questions and details that were sorted out with help from the people involved with Saratoga Springs Code Blue.

For a long time, Cook said she has been trying to start a shelter in Glens Falls, but this winter she realized they “could at least start a Code Blue.”

“It just became unacceptable to us to allow (the homeless) to stay outside,” Cook said. “We had to do something.”

The Saratoga Springs Code Blue is steadily gaining momentum and is scheduled to be open Jan. 20-23.

Since opening night, it has received 29 different visitors and $15,000 in donations.

For more information on what supplies are needed or to sign up for a Code Blue volunteer shift, visit www.codebluesaratoga.org or, for Glens Falls, opendoor-ny.org.